SMARTWATER
LABEL DESIGN / GLOBAL
CONCEPT LABEL DESIGN DESIGN INTENT
FROM A MEH BRAND TO A $4.1 BILLION DOLLAR CATEGORY LEADER.
Smartwater was at the beginning of the premium water trend but lacked brand awareness and shelf impact. In short, no one knew who they were. We were brought on to make a statement and put smartwater on the map. Several years after our redesign, the bottle become an icon and the brand was purchased by Coca-Cola for $4.1 billion.
Smartwater was a great product, but the overly simplistic packaging caused it to disappear on the store shelves.
I love minimalism and can appreciate it's virtues. However, in the case of smartwater, the minimalist approach to the design of the brand lacked a distinct point-of-view. There was little visual impact and no story-telling: the brand was lost.
We began the design process exploring ways to capture the brand and make it standout. Some designs talked about the inherent benefits of the product, some focused on the benefits of water and some tried to capture a more whimsical essence. During this process we discovered what was the most important story to tell, one that was right in front of us.
What makes smartwater so unique is the way that it’s made.
Using a vapour distillation process, smartwater delivers a completely pure product by mimicking an age old process found in nature. Just like clouds and rain, smartwater is formed when evaporated water - water vapor - condenses in the air and then cools to form purified water. We based our design around clouds and water droplets, creating an iconic and ownable image that truly defined the brand.
Once we settled on the asymmetrical water droplet as the primary label shape, we realized there was an opportunity to utilize the inside surface of the label for additional storytelling. This was a unique concept that we hadn't seen before in this category. Seeing as it wasn't the primary communication, it was the perfect place to have some fun with the messaging at their competitors expense
Have you ever wondered, don’t fish poop in spring water?